Reap Savings by Reducing Your Hot Water Usage -- Savings Experiment

Reducing your hot water consumption is not only good for the environment, it's good for your wallet, too. So, to cut down on the energy expenses in your home, try these easy energy- and money-saving tips.

In the kitchen, set your dishwasher to the shortest cycle to use less water in general. You can also use a booster heater just for the wash cycle. This will decrease the overall temperature in the water heater. Over time, using less water at a lower temperature will equal great savings.

Skip the pre-rinse, too. The machine will do the work for you, and according to The Daily Green, washing a full load of dishes in the dishwasher will save as much as 35 percent of the water used to do a load of dishes by hand.

If you have a garbage disposal, don't use hot water when you run it. Not only will cold water save you money, but it keeps the motor, bearings and shredder from overheating. Additionally, hot water can melt fat, which may become solid further down in the drain and can cause blockages.

The bathroom is another major place to cut water and energy expenses in your home. For instance, most toilets use 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Grab a weighted bottle or a brick wrapped in a plastic bag and place it in the water tank. This will displace the water and help you save water up to 10 gallons per day when you and your family flush.

These are just a few eco-friendly water-saving tips you can use in your home to reduce your utility bills. Keep them in mind and you'll be able to prevent your savings from going down the drain.